Fix It Friday: Reverse Sinawali

One of the common problems with reverse sinawali is when one or both partners bend over excessively during this drill.

A common problem with the execution of reverse sinawali is when one or both partners bend over excessively during this drill. While some allowance may be made for slight bending over, there are a number of problems associated with excessive bending over.

If one takes the position that the reverse sinawali teaches leg striking technique (angles 8 and 9 for Modern Arnis players), then one can see a problem from a combative perspective in bending over excessively. Note that in the picture below, Master of Tapi Tapi Chuck Gauss’s leg strike involves a slight bend but not the exaggerated bending that I demonstrated in the video. Obviously, that exaggerated bending over leaves one wide open to a number of counters in a combative situation.

The issue of excessive bending over applies to any low striking technique in Modern Arnis, whether it be in reverse sinawali, leg striking in tapi tapi, the six count drill or anything that requires a low strike.

Where else in Filipino Martial Arts or Modern Arnis do you see this error?